My Week with Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe remains one of the highest-profile figures in Hollywood’s history and it is not surprising that her biography attracts filmmakers. “My Week with Marilyn,” directed by Simon Curtis, focuses on events taking place in 1956, during the shooting of the movie “The Prince and the Showgirl” in Britain.

Based on two non-fiction books by Colin Clark, the film chronicles a week in the life of Monroe (Michelle Williams). She initially arrives on the set with her new husband Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott). When he returns to the United States, Clark (Eddie Redmayne), an assistant on “The Prince and the Showgirl,” takes her around the country. The trip allows Monroe to get acquainted with British life, also giving her a break from the difficult shoot in a movie that was supposed to give her a break as a serious actress.

The role became a real triumph for Williams, who collected the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture and earned Best Actress nominations at the Academy Awards and British Academy Film Awards.

The film’s critical reception was positive overall, focusing on Williams’ performance. “The luminous Michelle Williams gives a layered performance that goes beyond impersonation,” wrote a reviewer for The Hollywood Reporter, adding that “Williams gets us on intimate terms with one of Hollywood’s most enduring and tragic icons.”

“One of the chief pleasures of ‘My Week with Marilyn’ […] is watching Williams bring to life Monroe’s inner demons and her movie-star allure with equal aplomb,” noted a writer for the Miami Herald Tribune.